UPDATE: I finally got through to my county office and spoke with a supervisor. She said my application was approved yesterday but is waiting for benefit issuance which could take 2-3 more business days. She said they've been completely overwhelmed with D-CalFresh applications (over 15,000 in our county alone) and are bringing in workers from other departments to help process them all. For anyone still waiting - don't give up! Keep calling and specifically ask to speak with a supervisor or manager who can look up your actual status.

This thread has been so helpful! I applied for D-CalFresh on 2/23 and have been stuck in "processing" status for 18 days now. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that it's not lost in the system. I'm definitely going to try calling and asking for a supervisor like Sophia suggested. It's frustrating that processing times vary so much by county - some people get approved in 8 days while others wait a month! Has anyone else noticed if certain counties are faster than others? I'm in San Bernardino County and wondering if I should expect a longer wait based on what I'm seeing here.

I work at a community resource center, and we've been helping families with this exact issue. Here's what you need to know: 1. P-EBT 3.0 benefits are currently being issued, which explains your recent card. 2. Previous P-EBT phases (1.0 and 2.0) had specific issuance windows that have officially closed. 3. However, there IS an exception process for families who can demonstrate they were eligible but never received benefits due to administrative errors (wrong address, school reporting issues, etc.) 4. The best approach is to gather documentation showing your children's eligibility during those periods (free/reduced lunch verification from their school) and contact the P-EBT hotline. 5. Be persistent and specific about requesting the "exception review process" - not all call center workers mention this option unless directly asked. The P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) is notoriously difficult to reach. Try calling right when they open or in the last hour before they close for slightly better chances of getting through.

Thanks everyone for all this info! I'm going to try calling about the exception process that @Josef Tearle mentioned. I've got all my kids' school paperwork showing they were on free lunch since the beginning of 2024, so hopefully that'll be enough documentation. For anyone else in the same boat - sounds like the key is to specifically ask about "exception review process" and have your school records ready. I'll update this thread if I have any luck getting through to someone who can actually help! Also @Laila Fury - really appreciate the tip about calling right when they open. I was planning to call during lunch but sounds like timing matters a lot with that hotline.

lucky u!!! mine still pending after 2 weeks 😭

I'm in Riverside County too and just got approved for CalFresh last week! This is all really helpful info as a new recipient. I'm in group E and was wondering why my first payment seemed to come later than expected. Good to know it's not just me and that there's an actual reason for the delays. @Isaiah Sanders thank you for mentioning the expedited form - I'll definitely keep that in mind if I run into issues. Hope everyone gets their benefits sorted out soon! 🙏

so many ppl in the same boat these days... my sister had her benefits cut from $620 to $95 last month and shes a single mom with 2 kids working part time. its impossible to feed a family on that. the whole system needs to be fixed honestly

After reading through this thread again, I'm concerned there might be confusion about what you're receiving. In 2025, there shouldn't be anything labeled "emergency allotment" on your EBT account statements since those ended years ago. What you might be seeing is either: 1. California's state supplemental CalFresh benefits (if those exist in 2025) 2. A system labeling error where regular benefits are split into two payments 3. A transitional benefit adjustment 4. A correction payment from a previous underpayment When you call your county office, ask them to explain exactly what each payment represents. Request a copy of your most recent Notice of Action letter that shows your benefit calculation in detail. This letter should break down all the factors that determined your new benefit amount. If you haven't received this letter (or lost it), the county can provide another copy. The NOA is crucial for understanding exactly why your benefits changed so dramatically.

I'm also confused about this whole situation! My kids are in 2nd and 4th grade and we definitely got P-EBT benefits in 2024 that helped so much. Reading through these comments, it sounds like California isn't doing P-EBT 4.0 but maybe there's still the Summer EBT program? Can someone explain the difference between P-EBT and Summer EBT? I want to make sure I understand what my family might be eligible for going forward. Also, should I be doing anything now to make sure we get the Summer EBT benefits when they come available?

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm still hoping California will announce something similar to what Oregon is doing, but it sounds like I should focus on what's actually available. I'm going to check with my kids' school to make sure they're still enrolled in the free lunch program and that our address is current. The Summer EBT program sounds like it will be helpful even if it's not as much as the old P-EBT payments. I also want to double-check that I'm reporting all our expenses correctly on our CalFresh application - someone mentioned childcare costs and I'm not sure if I included those properly. Does anyone know if after-school care expenses count as childcare deductions for CalFresh purposes?